Profound Heartache

This is a picture of me when I was just 4 or 5 years old, back when Joe Torre used to manage the orange and blue. That would be 1976 or so. Boy, how I loved going to the games back then and yell Joe Torre’s name, “Hey…Joe Toyeee” My family used to tease me because I couldn’t pronounce it properly. I was just a simple, innocent little Mets fan at that time, didn’t care about wins and losses, I just loved the game. I look at that picture now and think; how happy I look, if I only knew the agony that lay ahead.

Nearly 30 years later, I have never felt as bad as I do right now as a Mets fan. Sure I’ve experienced heartbreak many times before; I was at Game 7 last year; and Game 4 of the ’88 NLCS. Those stung real bad. That’s just part of being a baseball fan; you go in to this thing knowing you’re going to be crushed at some point or another. Even Yankees fans have felt heartache. As a Mets fan, heartbreak is an inherent extension of our being. It’s just there.

But this time, this heartache is different; it’s a profound kind of pain that I cannot comprehend nor do I know quite how to handle. I can sit here and tell all of you young Mets fans out there that bitter losses only make you a better fan, they harden you and you learn to live and die with your team. It makes you love them that much more when they win. But this kind of monumental collapse, this humiliation, is something that I’m just not sure how to react to. It rips me to the core.

Back in June, when Dave and I started this blog, it was simply an outlet for us to vent about our favorite team. The Mets were reeling then, and our email exchanges that were fueled by frustration evolved in to a tiny little web site dedicated to all of you Mets Lifers out there. I love this team and I will never, ever stop rooting for them. ‘Til next year, I leave you with my first ever post (with new addition) on MetsLifer.com.

Thank you for reading…

Disgraceful

You let us down, Mr. Glavine. It wasn't all your fault, but mostly it was.

Glavine

Let’s face it. Tom Glavine has disappointed us down the stretch, throwing 2 clunkers in a row at a time when the Mets desperately needed him to step up. If he had won just one of those games, we might have been in a different position. Today, he has to be on top of his game. He’s a Hall of Famer, he’s got 300+ wins, and he’s been in these situations a thousand times before. This is his game. The Mets need him, and Mets Lifers across the globe need him to be the guy.

It’s time Mr. Glavine, to win one of the biggest games this franchise has ever played. Bring us a “W”!

Win

It’s 9:30 and I am very nervous. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I was this nervous. Last year’s playoffs and even Game 7, I had butterflies but I was also very confident in the team. For obvious reasons, I don’t feel as confident and therefore, my nerves are at peak level. I’m hoping yesterday’s action-packed game was, as Dave posted yesterday, just what the Doctor ordered.

Make no mistake, this is a playoff game. Lose it, and we’ll most likely be hitting the golf courses early. Win it, and you keep hope alive.

I would really like to see the Mets put some runs on the board early today. We play a half hour before the Phillies and it would be nice for them to look up at the scoreboard and see us winning the game. This would put even more pressure on them, and who knows, they may just tighten up a little as it appeared they did yesterday in the 6^th inning when they committed two errors that allowed 2 runs. And maybe, just maybe, the baseball Gods have changed their minds.

So go get that “W” today. Let’s Go Mets!

From Black to Orange and Blue

Earlier this week we changed the color scheme of Mets Lifer to black and we wrote a post on why we did this.

But it's time for a change. We're going orange and blue for the final game of the season. The Mets showed us their colors today and it's time that we show that we too bleed orange and blue. I sat through the entire Nationals/Phillies game today biting my finger nails and yelling at Manny Acta to put on the hit and run, and to please bring in Rouch & Cordero.

Who thought it would come down to game number 162? Nobody, but that's where we are. Time to man up, bare down or whatever saying you want to insert. None of them matter. It's time to WIN.

One win tomorrow and who better to face than our nemesis, Dontrelle Willis. This team should be fired up. Hey, Rick Peterson looked fired up today. I almost saw him take off his jacket so he could throw a punch at Olivio. Reyes, hopefully, is fired up. We know David Wright is geared up and I fully expect Paul Lo Duca to make a Willis Reed like appearance tomorrow.

I saw kids out today proudly wearing their Mets t-shirts, and that was before the win today. That's guts. But I had my Mets hat too and I thought we're all in this together. Do or die. We're Mets Lifers.

Let's finish this.

Huge Shout Out to all the MetsLifers

We’ve been taking a beating all week. We’ve been walking around dazed and confused, stunned in disbelief that our beloved Mets have thrown away the biggest lead in baseball history. People have been making fun of us, talk show hosts are mocking our theme song. Our hearts have been ripped out, stomped on and buried. (I actually got in to an argument this afternoon with my friend who is a Yankees fan because he was busting my stones).

Yet, in spite of it all, MetsLifers have been doing everything they possibly can to kick start their team. I heard your support Thursday night against the Cardinals. I heard you pumping through the telecast last night, trying to will the Mets to victory. And I heard you today loud and clear as we finally put a stop to the bleeding. So I give all of you, the Shea Faithful, a huge shout out for representing and showing why we are the best fans. And as incredible as all of you were at the stadium the last few days, I have to acknowledge the single greatest MetsLifer on the planet…

To the older gentlemen who was in attendance at the Phillies game this afternoon, proudly wearing the classic blue hat with the orange, interlocking NY logo, in a sea of Philly fans, I give you the loudest shout out of all. You rock!!

New Life

Baseball! I love this game!

With their backs against the wall and their world collapsing all around them, the Mets pounded the Marlins 13-0. And just a few moments ago, the Phillies lost to the Nationals 4-2. The Mets have new life.

John Maine pitched the game of his life tossing a near no hitter. The lone hit was a tiny squib down third base with two outs in the 8^th. Maine left the game to a rousing ovation at the electric Shea Stadium. My wife turned to me and said she felt a little emotional watching him walk off the field, and I replied back with the same response. I got the chills. Maine’s performance was exactly what the doctor ordered for this team who had looked so fragile all week long.

And don’t think for a moment that that near brawl didn’t fire this team up. Reyes, who inexplicably didn’t run out another ball earlier in the game, got in to it with the Marlins catcher, Oliva. Sandy Alomar Sr. protected his player and actually took one on the side of the head, but he hung in there and held his ground. I swear Alomar could have taken him.

Lastings Milledge showed the talent that everyone’s been raving about for son long, hitting two blasts in to the left field bull pen. If he could somehow get it going, or at least for one more game deliver more dramatics, this team can take this crown back.

We’ve been killing the Mets up and down over the last two weeks, including yours truly, but today’s win, coupled with a Phils loss, and we’re right back in this thing.

Ya Gotta Believe!!! Let’s go Mets!!!!

Just What the Doctor Ordered

I really thought John Maine was going to do it. A 13 strikeout, one hit effort through 7 2/3 was just what the Mets needed. Possibly the weakest hit in baseball broke up Maine's no hit bid and the Shea faithful showed their appreciation calling Maine back out of the dugout for a curtain call.

But outside of Maine's magical performance was the fact that the Mets erupted for 13 runs AND showed some fire. I'm glad Jose Reyes and Luis Castillo got a little feisty causing the benches to empty twice. And that's the most energy I've ever seen Mike DiFelice show as he went after some of the Marlins players. Even Rick Peterson wanted to mix things up.

It's too bad this happened in game #161. We could have used this at any time this past week.

Now it's up to Glavine tomorrow and a little divine intervention to help the Nationals. Hope lives on for one more day.

Luis Castillo is Playing His Heart Out

Luis Castillo is really the only Met I saw last night that had some sense of urgency. When he legged out that triple I honestly thought his leg was going to fall off rounding second. The guy is obviously injured, but you haven't heard one peep out of him. He continues to go out there and give it all. You have to really appreciate that kind of effort.

It's sad that there was a point last night when I honestly wanted Ruben Gotay to pinch hit for Jose Reyes. And Jeff Conine. Possibly the worst trading deadline pickup in the last 10 years. Do you realize that could have been Mike Piazza standing at the plate instead of Conine with two runners on and down 3? Yup, coulda, woulda, shoulda. But I do realize that's it been the pitching, not the hitting, that has been the demise of this team.

Two games are left. You lose one, you're done. I know there are situations where we could lose and still be in it, but honestly this team needs to win them both.

I believe in miracles. I hope you do too. But it's going to take a supernatural act for the Mets to make the postseason at this point.

GO WASHINGTON NATIONALS!

I've now officially become a Washington Nationals fan. You see they've played tremendous baseball this final week of the season. They swept the first place team by outscoring them by 100 runs.

They're able to get unbelievable performances from starting pitchers who are career minor leaguers. And their bullpen is pretty good.

Who would realize they are the second to last place team?

But now it's up to the Nationals to salvage the Mets season. We need a win from them today because I'm pretty confident that the Phillies will not lose if it comes down to the last game of the season.

So what's the catch? Ah, yes. The catch is the Mets have to win too. That's the tougher part of the equation if you ask me.

Message to the NY Mets

Where is your pride! Get some guts! Do you see what you look like? You look like a bunch of scared wuss bags out there; hanging your heads, shrugging your shoulders, sitting around with long faces. You're professionals for cyring out loud. Start acting like it! It's bad enough I have to endure your hideous play, but do you have to embarass yourself (and me for that matter) by looking like a poor little kid who just got his candy stolen? I can't believe this is the same team that lead the NL East for 5 months of the season; the same team that came within one hit of going to the World Series last year. Get a grip on yourselves and start playing with some fire! Where is your self-respect, your will and desire to win. I cannot even believe I am witnessing this brand of baseball. There is a massive stench permeating Shea Stadium right now and it stinks to high heaven! It's time to shed that paralyzing fear and get some courage. Remember who you are (Jose Reyes)! You are the best team in the National League. You still have a chance to salvage this collassal mess you've gotten yourself into but it has to start tonight. There are only 3 games left. It's all even. What's it going to be? Are you going to rise up and use every ounce of your being to try and win this thing or are you going to fold up like a tent and take your dubious place in baseball history? It's up to you. Go out there stop this silliness already. Do something!

And Then There Were 3

3 days to decide destiny. 3 games to determine the fate of this season. 3 pitchers who need to bring their best stuff. 3 wins is what we need.

The Mets are a game back in the Wild Card so we need to win this division. We need to win it tonight. A win tonight rights this ship, if only temporarily, and gets the fans and players back in the right mindset.

It's a Friday night game at Shea so the stadium should be packed. All eyes will be on this team waiting for it to crumble. While the Phillies have been out there creating their destiny, the Mets have been stumbling toward oblivion.

But all that doesn't matter right now. What matter is 3 games. 3 wins in 3 nights. That's all we can control. The cards will fall as they may. But 3 wins is what we need.

I also think there are 3 players that need to perform in these next 3 days or else we might be watching playoff baseball without our beloved Mets. First one is Jose Reyes. Reyes has become the David Copperfield of this team in September with his ability to disappear in this lineup. He needs to put his slump (and his home run swing) behind him and focus on getting on base. We all know that as Reyes goes so do the Mets. He needs to go full tilt the next 3 days.

The second player is Carlos Delgado. Sure you could say Beltran. You could say Alou. But I think Delgado is the man the Mets will need these next 3 days. Alou is en fuego so you know he'll get his hits. Beltran has been pretty steady, but if Delgado shows up to play he's the linchpin that could set a winning streak in motion. We've seen little production from him lately so a boost in his performance should spur this team to victory.

And finally the 3rd and most important player is David Wright. David Wright is our MVP. He may not win the NL MVP, but he needs to perform like he is. We rely on his performance as our foundation for this ball club. He cannot waiver now. We need him to be clutch. No more double plays, but plenty more of those opposite field hits. Once again the Mets need David Wright to carry this team.

3 is the magic number at this point. Forget the past and focus on 3. 3 wins. That's all I want. Then we'll see where that gets us on Monday morning.

Mets Lifer Has Gone Black

Until the Mets officially clinch their playoff berth (or don't), Mets Lifer is going black. It's a symbolic statement of our current mood, one of mourning and disappointment.

But it's also a change of pace. And we all know the Mets need to change their ways so why shouldn't we? Consider this the closest thing to a blogging rally cap that we could think of.

If the Mets find the path to winning, Mets Lifer will return to the bright and cheerful white background that we know and love. But until then the dark cloud has settled in.

But even in these dark times, we'll still cry LETS GO METS!

Remember This?

Remember this moment? This should be shown in the clubhouse today.

Now forget this moment, but remember how you felt after this game was over. Do we want to live with this feeling again for another offseason?

I might need to go to therapy.

2007 Mets: Your Season Has Come (And Gone)

The Mets deserve no second chances. After the game last night Willie Randolph was asked how you deal with a losing streak like this. His reply, "you have to stay positive."

He was then asked what he said to his team after the game. His reply, "Just a few words. Positive stuff."

Positive? What was positive about last night? Okay, Pedro did his thing, but that's one man. There was nothing positive about last night. There has been nothing positive since Sunday's win against the Marlins. Nothing. Why are we staying positive?

This team needs an enema. They need a fire. I saw it Luis Castillo after Wednesday's loss, but I'm not seeing it elsewhere. David Wright is hitting well. Moises Alou is hitting well. But we're lacking a fire and sense of urgency.

What's that you feel against your back? Oh yeah, that's the wall. The wall of torture. The wall of the longest offseason in major league baseball history. It's the wall all Mets fans will want to put their head through because we'll have to deal with Yankees fans whose team is in the playoffs while ours folded like an origami swan. This is the wall we're going to have to climb to get out of this pit we're stuck in.

No one is going to help the Mets win. They need to get out of this ditch themselves. And that's what has me worried.

How I Feel About the Mets last 4 Games

120 Pitches for Pedro

120 pitches. That's the number I'm looking to get from Pedro tonight. Keep that bullpen under lock and key. The Mets NEED, scratch that. The Mets MUST HAVE a win tonight.

I don't want to hear any more Willie Randolph quotes about "one game at a time" or "we're out there trying." Save your breath Willie. This team down right stinks right now. Period. You can't argue with that, and I dare you to try.

There is no defending this team. They have to defend themselves. The only way they can is by winning tonight. Then we'll worry about the next game.

Tonight is THE game. I don't want to see errors. I don't want to see Mota. I don't want to see blown leads. I want to see a WIN. A big fat "W" would shut me up mighty quickly. And boy am I dying to be quiet.

Pedro Martinez must pitch the game of his career. A no-hitter would be nice, but I won't push it.

TBS HD Coming to Cablevision

Wow, the power of blogging. Cablevision has caved to our demands and will be adding TBS HD to their channel lineup in time for the NLDS. Who knows if the Mets will be playing next week, but in any case you'll be able to watch TBS in High Definition.

It'll be channel 739 and should be up and running early next week.

Click here if you're just dying to read the Cablevision press release.

Craziest End of a Season Ever?

The Mets demise and the surge of the Phillies & Rockies could make this the craziest end to a baseball season ever.

It is possible for 5 teams to finish with the same record: the Mets, Phillies, Diamondback, Rockies, & Padres. Imagine this scenario. All 5 of these teams finish with the same record. The Mets & Phillies would have a one game playoff to determine the NL East champ. Then the loser would face the loser of a Diamondbacks/Padres/Rockies playoff to determine who wins the Wild Card.

I'm not even sure how a 3 way tie for 1st place would work if that happens in the NL West, but we do know that the Mets control their own destiny. Win tonight. Win tomorrow. Win the next day. And then the day after that. And we're in.

It's just that simple. Okay, it's not that simple for this team.

Stop the Insanity!

This is ridiculous. This is beyond ridiculous, it's painful. No painful is too soft a word, this is torturous. I think this is what they do to the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. They make them watch these Mets games.

No lead is safe. No team is too weak to mount a comeback. But when you think about it is it really surprising that we lost last night? Here are the facts:

-We were playing at home in which we have a worse record than when we play on the road
-We were playing the Nationals who have beat us 13 out of the last 14 times they've played us in September
-We had a lead early which we've had the past 2 games and blown them all in a blaze of glory
-We had a starting pitcher who's never started a game in his life and we trusted him to save this team from destruction

Add that all together and it's no wonder we lost. The only highlight was seeing El Duque return to the mound and get out of an inning. That and Moises Alou destroying every pitcher he faces to extend his hit streak to 30 games.

The Mets are on life support my fellow Mets Lifers. The question is when will they pull the plug?

Ya Gotta Believe...It's Over

Mets All smiles

Did anyone notice the smiles on some players’ faces last night while they were getting embarrassed once again by the weakest-hitting team in the National League? I saw Jose Reyes smiling from ear to ear; I saw David Wright laughing with someone either in the Nationals dugout or in the stands, and I saw Carlos Delgado nearly laughing out loud while standing at first base. And this was when they were getting their heads licked in 10-3; one night after they were hammered 13-4.

I was actually stunned by this. As a fan, you always wonder whether or not players take defeat harder than we do. I mean, we’d like to think they do, right? They’re the ones wearing the uniform, playing the game; they’re the ones getting embarrassed on a nightly basis. How could they not be pissed off? Or more specifically, how can they be smiling? I actually watch this garbage night in and night out, wasting 3-4 hours of my time, and I can tell you without question, I am not smiling. It’s quite the contrary. I am ticked off, completely embarrassed to be a fan. In fact, not only am I not smiling during these beatings, I find it hard to smile the next day. It sucks!

I guess I can buy the fact that we as fans do suffer more and it really doesn’t affect them as much. I mean, we have to go to our jobs every day, all year round, and we don’t have the luxury of making zillions of dollars to play a kid’s game, but for crying out loud, the least they can do is pretend it bothers them; look like they’re angry; and please, don’t smile.

Home, Horrible Home

This is a staggering statistic. The Mets are 40-36 at Shea Stadium this season. They are one of the only division leaders to have a significantly better record on the road than they are at home.

And at this rate it's not unfathomable for them to finish with a .500 record at home for the year. (let's hope it doesn't come to that)

Complain to Cablevision

I was a little concerned when I saw Major League Baseball promoting the playoffs on TBS. As a Cablevision customer, I have the wonderful fortune of not having TBS in High Definition (among 100 other channels I'm missing in HD).

Well according to Metsblog.com this morning, Cablevision will be getting TBS HD, but just not in time for the National League Division series. So for those of us who are so lucky to be Cablevision customers we'll have to watch the Mets in standard definition.

The best thing we can do is make our voices heard by going here, and letting Cablevision know what a travesty this is. Submit a complaint every day if you have to. Let Cablevision know we're sick of not having HD channels.

Mets Magic Number is 4

We don't deserve it to be 4, but I guess we'll take it any way we can get it. This is the first time in a long time that I am actively cheering for the Braves.

Philip Humber is on the mound tonight. A rookie making his first major league start in the middle of an excruciatingly tight pennant race. Hey, can he be any worse than Glavine last night?

Master Chief Moises Alou

On the day of Halo 3's release, Moises Alou proved once again that he is the Master Chief of the New York Mets. Alou went 4 for 5 with 3 RBIs and 1 run scored. Alou single handedly brought the Mets back to the brink of victory in the 9th inning.

What else can this man possibly do? At 40+ years old, Alou also has the longest hitting streak in the majors this year at 29 games. This is all from a guy who openly says he's retiring next year.

When Alou was out for 3 months I was not enjoying the fact that he was our biggest offseason acquisition. But Alou has more than won me over. I'd actually consider signing him next year in a Roger Clemens style deal where Alou doesn't have to start playing til June.

I am so desperate to see Alou play in the postseason for this club, but that opportunity is still yet to be confirmed. But if it does happen we might be watching a future legend of New York Mets baseball even though he's only playing for us for one year.

The Big Tease

When the Mets were losing 8-3, I decided to not even watch the game. I was literally sick to my stomach and there were not enough Tums in my house to make me feel better if I continued to watch. So I TiVo'd Bones and House and enjoyed some quality television.


When the shows were over I noticed it was the bottom of the 9th and figured I'd watch this pitiful team for one last inning. Then it happened, I started to get excited. A couple singles, a few walks, and then Alou comes up and smacks a bases clearing double.


It's 10-9 with Delgado up and I'm already seeing a walk-off home run that will rejuvenate this team and carry us into the playoffs. It would be the biggest comeback of the season.

But then my wife said, "Honey, they're just teasing you." Her words pierced me because I knew it was true. Delgado struck out while Chavez stole 3rd (which was just idiotic if you ask me). And then Lo Duca. Oh Lo Duca, why must you swing at the first pitch in a situation like that?

My wife was right. She has seen this team crumble as much as I have and even as a baseball novice she knew from games past what this team would do.

This time I hate the fact that she's right.

Pitching, Pitching, Pitching

If you don’t have good pitching, you’re not going to win many ball games. You can analyze a game to death; who missed a bunt, who failed to get the runner over, who didn’t cover the bag, but if you can’t throw strikes and get anybody out, it’s a tough hurdle to climb. For the better part of two months now, our pitching has been downright embarrassing. We’ve actually let up 48 runs in 5 games to the weakest hitting offense in the National League, losing 4 of those games – in crucial games no less. It’s just inexcusable. And even more unacceptable is the recent performance of our 300 Game winner.

Last night night, Tom Glavine was horrible. He was terrible in his previous start as well. This is not good. If Mike Pelfrey has a bad outing, you can live with that. But when Tom Glavine, the guy who is supposed to anchor this rotation, goes out and lays an egg during this time of year, you’re in trouble. And that’s exactly where the Mets find themselves after doing all they can to give up their hold on first place.

And what can you say about the bull pen? They have to be the worst in baseball. When you have someone come in to pitch their first major league of an important game, that means your team is pitiful. After Carlos Muniz pitched a scoreless inning, I was trying to figure out if there was a way we could put him on the post season roster (If we’re fortunate enough to make it). And I was serious. Why not? Sure, we don’t what we have in him, but we certainly know what we have in Mota, Schoenweis and the rest of the Blow Pen. I couldn’t even blame Randolph for putting him in that spot. Look what he has to choose from.

Fortunately, the Braves thumped the Phillies and we still, miraculously, have a 2 game lead, which is quite extraordinary really when you consider how disgusting this team has played. And tonight, we have a kid who is making is first major league start. Buckle up...

Mets Lack Killer Instinct

I swear someone at Newsday is stealing material from my posts. This morning Wallace Matthews of Newsday writes an article talking about the Mets lack of a killer instinct to put teams away.

I couldn't agree with him more, but his material seems oddly familiar. Perhaps that's because I wrote about this very same topic earlier this month in my post entitled Winning At Home.

I'll cut Newsday some slack because at least they got their idea from a trusted and worthwhile source (wink). The article is a good read and is worth checking out.

Or you can read the Mets Lifer post here and you'll get a little depressed because you'll realize that nothing has changed with this team in about a month.

Mike and the Mad Dog are the Ultimate Anti-Mets

I can't even talk about last night's loss because it's not even worth typing about it. But something else that got me aggravated last night was listening to Mike and the Mad Dog on WFAN on my way home from work.

I turned on the radio just as they were playing back Howie Rose's call of Delgado's 3-run homer on Sunday. Howie Rose was obviously psyched to see Delgado hit one which gave the Mets the lead. But the thing that bothered me is how Mike Francesa and Chris Russo just started railing on Howie Rose for being that excited about a call. They were talking about how it wasn't a big deal and that this Mets win didn't mean anything because the Phillies had already lost.

Have these guys even been following the Mets? (probably not) What do you mean this win didn't mean anything? These guys get paid for this? Of course it was a big win. It gave us that 2 game cushion we so desperately needed. If we didn't win that game we'd now be looking at a 1 game lead. Morons.

Then they went on to further show their ignorance by talking about how Willie Randolph has done a great job this year managing the team. Whaaaaaaaaat? These are the same guys who question Randolph's move pretty much every other week and now they want to crown him manager of the year? Have they seen the substitutions Randolph has made. The bad double switches. The reliance on Guillermo Mota. The refusal to play Milledge at first.

That's it. I can't listen to the "Jerk and the Fatman" (as Imus used to call them) any more. As much as it pains me to say this, but Michael Kay is actually a more unbiased talk show host when it comes to the Mets. Now Michael Kay is a guy I've detested for a long time, but I got to tell you that Mike and the Mad Dog have lost all credibility when it comes to Mets baseball.

Embarassing Loss

A Sense of Loyalty Won't Allow Alou's Dad to Watch Him Play

At a time when scandals and "me first" attitudes plague professional sports, a fantastic article was written this morning in the New York Times by Jack Curry about Felipe Alou and how he won't go watch his son play in person.

No it's not some father jealous of his son story. It's about a man who feels his job prevents him from watching his son play. Felipe Alou is still employed by the San Francisco Giants as a special assistant and feels it would be a conflict of interest to go watch his son play while still "on the clock" for the Giants.

The article goes on to detail the relationship between the Alous and how tough it is for Felipe not to go see Moises play. Overall this is a great article that details the amazing feelings a father has for a son who's a major league baseball player.

I've always like Felipe Alou and this article only increases his stature in my eyes. Let's hope the Giants give him a break and let him see Alou in the playoffs.

Check out the article here.

Mets Magic Number = 5

5 games doesn't seem "magical" to me, but it's a far cry from the 11 games we were at last week. The Mets need to win 4 out of their final 7 games to at least guarantee a tie for the NL East assuming the Phillies continue to win every remaining game.

I'd like to say the Phillies winning out is doubtful, but at this point I'm not surprised by anything after watching Sele get 2 outs yesterday on 3 pitches.

Moises Alou for MVP

David Wright is a legitimate MVP candidate, but after further review I believe Moises Alou may be just as worthy. I had to laugh the other day that the Marlins walked Carlos Beltran to pitch to Moises Alou. Do they even watch the film tape or read scouting reports?

Let's ignore the fact that Alou has missed 3 months of the season, and I'll also ignore the fact that he's related to the horrific former Mets pitcher, Mel Rojas (they're cousins), but right now Moises Alou may very well be the best hitter in the Mets lineup.

Alou is batting .341 with a slugging percentage of .531. He's currently on a 27-game hitting streak, which is the longest in the National League this year (and a Mets record). Plus in just 78 games this year Alou has knotched 154 total bases with 41 RBIs.

So basically Alou has played half a season, but if he played an entire season at this same pace he'd have numbers that could include him in the MVP discussions.

Let's double Alou's production with the assumption that if he played an entire season he'd continue on this pace. Now let's compare Alou with the person who deserves to win MVP but won't, Matt Holliday.:

Average: Alou = .341; Holliday = .337
RBIs: Alou = 82; Holliday = 131
Total Bases: Alou = 308; Holliday = 371
Slugging: Alou = .531; Holliday = .609

Ok, so Alou doesn't have Holliday's power numbers, but few do. There's no telling what type of production Alou would have had if he remained healthy.

There's nothing we can do about that now, but be thankful he's healthy at the point in the season when we need him most.

A Festivus Miracle: Mets Win, Phillies Lose

This Mets team is stuck in some kind of funk. After storming back to take a 6-3 lead, Aaron Heilman single-handedly blows it. But then Mr. MVP David Wright knocks in the go ahead run.

And the strangest sight to behold was Aaron Sele coming in for 3 pitches and being replaced by Scott Blowenweiss who knotches the save. This game had more turns than the Mets made errors.

By the way, these errors have got to stop. This is bush league baseball in the field that we're seeing this past week. An extra hour of infield practice is in order for tomorrow morning.

I was pleased to see John Maine have more control over his pitches than he has in his past 4 starts. He looked good early on and struck out more batters than I think he has all year.

Those pesky Nationals come to Shea tomorrow. Magic number is 5 folks. 5 very, very long games away. But it's within reach.

Hanging On

The Mets are hanging on for dear life. With nine games left and a game and a half lead over the Fightin’ Phils, the Mets need to hang on just a little longer. And it’s not getting any easier. On the heels of the news of Billy Wagner’s back spasms, Carlos Beltran goes down with a knee injury, and is listed as “day to day” which in Metsworld is more like a week; proving the old adage that, when it rains, it pours.

The Mets need to find a way to stave off this charge by the Phillies, who, let’s be honest, deserve a lot of credit for fighting their way back in to this thing. Granted, the Mets have played poorly, but the Phillies have shown remarkable resiliency led by probable MVP, Jimmy Rollins, who has been carrying his club down the stretch. And when you have guys like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and a rejuvenated Pat Burrell in the lineup, you have one potent offense; the best in the NL.

The Mets, with their backs against the wall, and the Phillies breathing down their neck, have been in first place since the middle of May. I don’t want to hear about who needs to play what record with these remaining games; Mets play .500, Phils go 6-2…Whatever. All of that stuff goes right out the window if the Mets lose a game in the standings tonight. All they need to do is take one game at a time, and hold on to first place for one more week.

Welcome Back Carlos Delgado

Carlos Delgado made his first appearance for the Mets in almost 3 weeks. In the 7th inning he smashed a solo home run to officially welcome himself back to the team.

Delgado tends to do this when he misses a few games. He comes back with a bang, but then usually fizzles out the next day. However, I'm hopeful this is a different situation.

Delgado has been struggling at the plate all year. He actually looked like he was still struggling in his first 3 at bats of the night, but a few weeks off to not worry about your swing might do the slugger some good.

Delgado thrived in the postseason last year and I have a feeling that he's ready to finally get to work, especially with the Mets current situation. I could be grasping at straws, but I want to believe that Delgado will come through for us.

If not, thankfully Shawn Green is available today.

Healthy Dose of Friday Night Lights

What a relief to see the Mets win. Well I sort of saw it. Down 3-0 I felt myself getting agitated. Much like Bryan just posted, I needed something to help take the edge off.

So I went out and got a copy of Friday Night Lights first season on DVD. Popped it in the DVD player and threw the Mets game on picture in picture from time to time while having ESPN's Gamecast on the laptop in front of me.

Thankfully the entire night was an enjoyable experience. Pedro pitched well. The Mets won even though they scared the living daylights out of me in the 8th inning when the Marlins cut it to 9-6 and I saw Scott Blowenweiss come in the 9th. And I got to watch what is probably the best TV show ever involving sports (still annoyed with Lila Garrity).

I'm planning on continuing this process through the weekend series with the Marlins. It seems to work, as long as the Mets win.

Rain Delay & A Little Vino

I’ve figured out how to neutralize my emotions during the game. It’s a rather old technique but I found that having a few (maybe four) glasses of a little vino (Cabernet) helps take the edge off. While Pedro served up an early 3-0 lead, thanks to LoDuca’s throwing error (hey, he had to feel part of the team, right?) I was surprisingly at ease. Typically I get aggravated if Reyes goes 0-1 in the count so this state-of-mind is quite refreshing and a welcomed retreat from my usual manic behavior often experienced during critical games. My only hope is that is lasts through the rain delay and longer because as we all know, the bull pen is going to rear its evil head before this one is over.

So let's see...10 straight games...that's a lot of vino...

Disclaimer: If you're under 21, drink Vitamin Water.

The Sociological Effect of the Mets Collapse

In the New York Times this morning a piece was written by N.R. Kleinfeld that compared the recent Mets collaps with other major collapses in history and their sociological effect on those directly impacted by the situation.

The article closes with this final thought:

Regardless of whether the [Mets] collapse happens, it may not be all that stinging. “When people’s baseball teams don’t do very well, my educated guess is 100 percent of people come back exactly to the level of happiness they had,” said Mr. Gilbert, the Harvard psychology professor. “After all, there is next season.”

Tell me this guy isn't a Cubs fan?

The article basically talks about how a collapse, whether it be sports related or economy related, effects people drastically in the short term, but usually the collapse is followed by a drastic improvement over a period of time.

Let's hope that improvement comes quickly and lasts through October.

Things That Are More Enjoyable than Watching the Mets this Week

1. Getting your wisdom teeth pulled with plyers
2. Lemon juice in the eye
3. Watching The View
4. Being O.J. Simpson
5. A bloody hangnail
6. Being Pete Rose
7. Listening to Yoko Ono
8. Tuberculosis
9. Being stuck at dinner in between NBC's Jim Gray and Fox's Tim McCarver
10. Cleaning the restrooms at Penn Station

Pedro, You're Our Only Hope

I seriously feel like we need R2D2 to go over to Pedro Martinez and beam him Princess Lea's message, "Pedro, you're our only hope."

A win tonight is paramount. And if anyone can get this team rallied behind them, it's Pedro. The irony of this situation is the fact that all the TV analysts, radio talk show hosts, etc. have been saying all year that the Mets can't count on Pedro Martinez to be their saviour because he's not going to ready for that. And I have to admit I felt the same way.

Well throw that idea out the window. We need you Pedro (I'm very needy). Please come through. You're our only hope.

My Cardiologist Won't Let Me Watch the Mets

My cardiologist has called my cable company and told them to take away SNY for the rest of the season. He says it's not good for me and that recently I've been having more frequent heart palpitations than normal.

Last night's crushing defeat was the final blow. I went to the doctor and he said I have a common condition called Chokus heartbreakus. It's a condition where the heart pumps adrenaline into the bloodstream after watching a sensational comeback in the top of the 9th inning, but when that same comeback team collapses in the bottom of the ninth the heart actually breaks and instead pumps anger, venom, and animosity into your vital organs.

I told my doctor I was only watching it in picture-in-picture so that I wouldn't be fully exposed, but he said the power of this condition is that it penetrates any medium.

He recommended I watch episodes of Family Affair to help cope soothe the pain to which I started making derogatory comments about Mr. French. So I went out and got the Friday Night Lights DVD instead (great show by the way in case you've never seen it).

I'm at work today, but he said to stay away from other Mets fans because the condition is highly contagious and he's seen riots start because of it.

The Agony and the Ecstasy

Last night’s game what the epitome of a heartbreaker. It was the perfect example of why I live for this game (Marlon Anderson) and why I die hard with this game (the Blow pen & Wright’s error). It was the agony and the ecstasy all rolled into one heart-pounding inning. The result has numbed me into submission. The emotional post I wrote last night immediately after that embarrassing defeat is a reflection of a beaten down, life long Mets addict who witnessed another monumental meltdown in this team’s history. And it hurts to the very core. I can only hope and pray they will recover.

Done!

Not since Terry Pendleton's infamous home run off Roger McDowell in 1987 have the Mets suffered such a crippling regular season defeat. This was the knockout blow ladies and gentlemen. The season will now evaporate. There is no way they will recover. Pessimistic? Absolutely. Realist? Yes. The only advice I have for you MetsLifers is to prepare for it now rather than later. Doing so will soften the blow when Philly finally does rip past this underachieving team. And let's be honest, does anyone really think that this Mets club can win a championship with this bullpen? Not a chance. By the way, where the heck was Wagner? When did he get injured?

And David Wright, I love ya, you're an awesome player, but you can't...you absolutely cannot make an error in that spot. It's simply inexcusable and I am sorry but MVPs just don't make those plays in big games like this. And something tells me that David would agree with that. No question about it. Wright, who had three more hits tonight, incredibly turns into the goat. Had he made that play, we'd be singing a different tune tonight and the blog universe, talk shows and newspapers would all be talking about the Great Marlon Anderson. What a damn shame...

So this is it. The 2007 NY Mets will go down as one of the all-time great chokers in baseball history.

Willie Randolph, Please Report to the Principal's Office

Via Metsblog.com I came across an SI article where Mets owner Jeff Wilpon gives a pretty juicy quote about his thoughts on the Mets' current situation:

“I’m disappointed with the way the team is performing overall, and that’s everyone, top to bottom. I’m disappointed in Omar, Willie, the players…that’s everyone. We shouldn’t be in this position. But we are. We’ve got to fight our way out and pull this out.”

Ouch. SI writer Jon Heyman also refers to Randolph as a man ‘who assumes the posture of a man without a care.’

Double ouch. But hey, the truth hurts. Just look at Willie's reaction to the Mets recent losses in this post from just two days ago. If the Mets don't make the playoffs, Willie Randolph is gone. End of story.

But if the Mets make the playoffs and win the World Series, we'll carry him down Broadway on our shoulders and crown him King of New York.

The real question will be what happens if the Mets make the playoffs, but don't win the World Series?

Right now I can't think about that. We've got bigger fish to fry in the Florida Marlins. One game at a time people.

A Change in Our Expectations

As painful as the last week has been for all Mets fans, it has signaled a change in what we now expect from our favorite team.

Just two short years ago, the Mets were once again left out of a pennant race. The past 4 seasons before that we were amongst the bottom dwellers of the National League. But last season we drank from the postseason cup, which has had a lingering taste in our mouths that makes us anxiously await the next time we can sip from that glorious cup.

As a Mets Lifer who has survived the dark years of this ball club and now have it become a winning team again, it is that much more painful to watch it struggle. You don't want them to fall back into the rut of the early 90's. We now expect this team to be a winner every year.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

Every Mets fan I talk to is going through the same anxiety and pain over this recent losing streak. And today those same Mets fans are hopeful that we've turned the corner. We desperately need this team to make the postseason. Not because of the Yankees. Not because of our hatred for the Braves (and now Phillies). It's because we want our team to become a perennial powerhouse in baseball. Not just this year, but for the rest of this decade.

May we never come complacent with winning. The fact that we are holding on to every win and loss like it's the World Series shows the difference between being just a Mets fan and a Mets Lifer. It separates us from the Yankee fans who want their team to lose just because they don't like A-Rod or who gave up on them because of their rough first half.

We're critical of this Mets team just as your are hardest on those you care most about. And we'll be the first to shower them with accolades when they turn things around.

As much as we'd love to have already clinched the division, take a step back and appreciate the fact that this team is once again in a race to the postseason, and we will be for years to come.

But let's go out there and wrap up this division for crying out loud.

2007 Mets Highlights

Via Metsblog.com, here's a video montage of this season's highlights. I'll enjoy it a lot more once we clinch the division.

Moises Alou, the Machine

Moises Alou has been taking a healthy dose of his Centrum Silver over the last month. Alou not only has a 23-game hitting streak going, but he's been getting 2 or 3 hits in pretty much every one of those games. Alou is also the oldest baseball player to ever have a 20+ game hitting streak, and his current streak is the longest running streak in the National League this year.

It's not just the fact that Alou is getting hits. Alou is really crushing the ball. He's hitting down the line, up the middle and in the gaps. He's driving in runs and looks like the hitter we all dreamed he'd be. Through 75 games this year Alou is batting .338 with a .529 slugging percentage.

We just need to keep Alou healthy for these final 2 weeks of the season. Keep giving him his Centrum Silver. Provide him with a daily does of Oscal and Ginko. Because if this guy is healthy in the postseason, he'll only make Beltran and Delgado/Green better by hitting inbetween them.

No Panic Pelfrey

Mike Pelfrey looked like a seasoned veteran on the mound last night. Sure he got tagged for 3 runs over 5 innings, but that's a better performance than John Maine gave us. Pelfrey also struck out 4 while walking 3 and became the third Mets pitcher to win 3 games in September since Pete Schourek (I remember really liking this guy) and Jason Isringhausen.

Pelfrey got into some tough situations with runners in scoring position, but was able to get out of a number of them. I got a sense of his potential in this outing just as I did when he pitched against the Braves. Both games were high pressure situations and he handled himself well in both.

Of course the Mets offense showed up again this time with Reyes even joining in. He would have had an inside the park home run if the ball didn't get stuck in the wall. David Wright returned to MVP form with 3 RBIs and Moises Alou continued to just crush the ball.

And miracle of miracles the Phillies lost in extra innings! 2.5 game lead folks. Let's keep it rollin'.

Bring Back the Black Cat of '69

from guest poster, Siroty

Maybe the Mets need an animal on the field to reverse their fortunes. It was the black cat that sparked the 1969 Mets to become a "real" franchise.

Well, if it worked once do it again. But we need to do it in reverse. Desparate times call for desperate measures. And we can't rely on Mets pitchers who can't get out of their own way right now . How about bringing in a white rabbit into the clubhouse. Or a puppy to calm their nerves. What about a guinea pig. Rally monkeys are taken, but a pretty fish is soothing to watch.

Right now anything can help. It could also be time to bring out the big bopper. How about the Mets Rat! Shea is so old that I'm sure some of the original rats have grown to immense size. Put 'em on a leash and watch the tide turn! Let 'em roam the third base dugouts and even make a random visitors clubhouse appearance and we'll see 2 1/2 game up grow into a playoff clincer in no time flat!

Rant on Carlos Beltran's Mole

I'm still wiping the tears from my eyes because I was laughing so hard when I visited fellow Mets blog, Yes Joe, It's Toasted and came across his list of Carlos Beltran's mole facts.

You have to read them for yourself by visiting Yes Joe, It's Toasted. Just look for the list of Carlos Beltran's mole facts on the right side bar.

5 Things A Mets Fan Needs To Survive the Rest of the Season

Ok, folks. It's crunch time and as a Mets Lifer you need to be prepared for what lies ahead these last few games of the season.

I've put together a list of necessary items that I've found that can help you survive the rest of this Mets season. Here they are:

1. A blank wall: I have a nice wall just to the right of my TV. It doesn't have a lot of pictures on it. It's just a nice blank wall. You'll need a wall like this so when you see the Mets make 5 errors in a game or Willie Randolph brings in Guillermo Mota, you can just get up off your couch, approach the wall and bang your head against it until you feel better (or lose conscientiousness, whichever comes first).

2. Rolaids: If you prefer Tums or Maalox, those will work too. I get a lot of agida in these close pennant races and sometimes it's necessary to pop a dozen or so tablets in to help reduce the pressure.

3. A 2003 Mets yearbook: If you're feeling depressed this is great to have around. Just flip through the pages and remember the likes of Tsuyoshi Shinjo, Raul Gonzalez, Pat Strange and others to make you appreciate the team we have now.

4. Picture in picture: There are some points during a Mets game when you just need to look away, sort of. Picture in picture can greatly help with anxiety attacks during the 5th or 6th inning. Just change the channel to something else and leave the Mets game up in the picture in picture window. This way you won't feel like you're being subjected to torture by watching the game, but just kind of watching it out of the corner of your eye.

5. Belief: Don't give up hope yet. There's baseball yet to be played and nothing has been decided yet. This team has had ups and downs all year. It's just unfortunate that it had to happen the last week of the season. Ya gotta believe these Mets will turn it around. It's the last thing we have to hold onto.

Bad Umpires

Over at Metsblog.com this morning they talked about how Marlon Anderson is appealing his suspension for his tirade against the umps when he was called out on a ridiculous strike three. Anderson is appealing his two game suspension on the grounds that he was thrown out not for what he said during that game, but for his previous history with umpires.

If I'm Marlon Anderson, I walk into the MLB offices with a tape of the overhead shot of home plate on that called third strike. I point to the opposite batter's box and say "watch for the ball." Anyone who looks at that tape can see that it is quite possibly the worst called strike three in recent baseball history.

The problem is unless you're caught gambling or throwing games, nothing is going to be done about bad calls, which is really a shame. That called strike three was potentially a game changing call. Umpires are there to uphold the rules not change outcomes.

The Mets Actober Commercial

The Mets version of MLB's Actober commercials is available to view online. How cruel is that this out during this debacle we're in right now?

It's pretty good, but kind of painful to watch with our postseason hopes in the balance right now. But check it out.

Shawn Green Got His Groove Back

The only bright spot in this recent slide is the fact that Shawn Green is in the midst of a renaissance. Back to back games with home runs. Multiple hit games. Going the opposite way.

Green looks like the polished hitter we hoped he'd be, and right now I'm not missing Carlos Delgado all that much. Green is playing a solid first base in the field and seems to be very relaxed out there. Ok, he always looks relaxed.

I just hope Green gets a chance to play in the playoffs.

The Pain and Sufferring Continues

Let me say that I really feel for Ruben Gotay. With 2 outs and runners on the corners, this 25 year old was asked to save the Mets from despair. I had confidence he could do it, but it was a tough spot for a rookie. Not to mention he was going up against one of the great Met Killers of this current era.

I thought he had him when he went 3-0, but it eventually led to a strike out. It was obvious that Gotay was upset with himself and that he thought he let his team down. He was the last player to leave the dugout, and I have to give Willie Randolph credit that he hung around and went up to Gotay to try and get the kid to understand it's not his fault. Randolph smacked him on the rear and walked with him into the clubhouse.

This would be a touching story if it wasn't smack in the middle of the greatest collapse of the 21st century. The Mets bats were not to blame tonight. You score 8 runs in a game you should win it. Maine was just not there tonight. Not sure where he was, but the man who I argued should be on the All Star team looks like he's lost out there.

Sure Blowenweiss came in and gave up what would be the deciding run, but at that point the damage was done. Of course the Phillies keep on producing miracle runs and we're only up 1.5 games.

Last night you would have thought it was game 6 of the world series the way I was waiting on every pitch the Mets threw and every swing they took. This is painful folks. And another kid is going to be asked to step up tonight in Mike Pelfrey.

Say your prayers people. And by the way is it just me or is Ronnie Belliard all of a sudden a Met Killer?

Ya Gotta Believe (Again)

It's so hard right now, but I reminded myself that it was just a few weeks ago that I wrote this post telling Mets fans that we gotta believe.

I've lost a bit of faith, but I've got to keep hope. What else do we have?

Ya gotta believe Maine is going to pitch like it's the playoffs tonight. Ya gotta believe that Lo Duca will be out for blood. Ya gotta believe that David Wright is embarrassed and wants to prove that he is the MVP. Ya gotta believe that Jose Reyes knows he has to get out of this slump. Ya gotta believe Luis Castillo will be slapping a base hit even if his knees fall off.

Ya gotta believe we haven't been through this roller coaster of a season to lose it now. Ya gotta believe this team wants to and knows it has to turn it around right now.

Ya gotta believe.

Dice K Dressed As Teletubby

This is totally not Mets related, but after last night's game I can take anything remotely humorous.

Looks like Dice-K got his rookie hazing out of the way when the Boston Red Sox made him dress up as a Teletubby. Hilarious.

Click here for the full article.

This Is Our Manager

Marty Noble of MLB.com wrote a very interesting piece this morning about the current Mets situation. Here's a blurb that took me by surprise:

This is the middle-of-the road reaction to the pennant race that Randolph spoke about before the game on Monday: "If we smell the roses and sip some champagne, so be it. If not, that's life."

This got me seriously angry. I'm trying to contain myself right now, but it did remind me of a similar quote from 19 years ago. This is the quote from Kevin McReynolds the day of the 7th game of the NLCS against the Dodgers when asked about his thoughts for Game 7. McReynolds replied that either way "he wins." If the Mets won the game, they'd be in the World Series, if they lost he'd be hunting tomorrow. Either way he wins.

It's no wonder that Kevin McReynolds was not appreciated amongst Mets fans. Sure he had some good seasons with us, but that comment was enough to make me detest him.

Now Willie Randolph comes out and says something like that in the middle of a pennant race? You gotta be kidding me. I'm sure the players really want to rally behind him now.

The Wizard Followed the Mets to Washington

Bryan had a fantastic post yesterday that was highlighted on Metsblog.com and discussed the idea that there was a wizard hired by the Phillies that put a hex on the Mets.

I believe the wizard has followed us to Washington, which can only mean one thing: the wizard is within our own organization. Also this is no ordinary wizard. This is a seriously powerful other-wordly creature. Think Sauron from the Lord of the Rings movies except with a propensity for bad baseball.

This evil power is in the Mets minds. He's in our gloves. He's in our bats. And sometimes I think he's possessed our manager. Now not even Willie Randolph can be blamed for the game last night, but isn't that the beauty of a powerful mythical force? Do you ever realize what it's actually doing until it's too late?

The fact that Brian Lawrence was the starting pitcher was forgotten when the Mets went up 4-0, but don't tell me that didn't play a major role in the demise of the Mets last night.

What about the fact that 90 pitchers have been used by the Mets in the last two games, both of which were major blowouts? So if the Mets are in a tight game tonight no one can be called on to pitch except for Billy Wagner. Actually, that might be a good thing.

This is one tricky wizard folks. He's evil to the very core. But we must maintain hope.

Right now it's the only thing we have.

Time When Legends are Made or Pretenders Fade

So here we are again; time for that proverbial gut check, time to find out who’s going to rise up to the occasion and carry this team in to the post season. This is the time of year where legends are made or pretenders fade. It’s pressure-packed baseball for the next 13 games. What is it going to be for this 2007 Mets team? How will they write their history?

Will Jose Reyes remain a non-factor like he has been for most of the second half? Will David Wright warrant all of the MVP talk that surrounded him just four days ago? Will a starting pitcher dominate their next two or three starts and minimize the use of this team’s Achilles heel; the bull pen? And will Willie Randolph stop making bad decisions (a double switch with LoDuca in the 6^th inning – huh)?

These questions and many others will be answered over the next 12 days. We’ll find out one way or the other if this team has the guts, the resolve to win this thing once and for all. If not, it’s going to be a cold, dark winter and they will have no one to blame but themselves.

Keys to Tonight's Game

Don't you just love it when before a baseball game the announcers discuss the "keys to the game." Usually they're based on some facts or statistics that show how one team can beat another one.

My keys to tonight's game aren't that scientific, but that doesn't make them any less valid. Here are the keys to winning tonight's game against the Nationals:

1. Commit less than 5 errors: I can almost guarantee that if the Mets commit another 5 errors tonight, they will lose.

2. John Maine pitches a no-hitter: This might be going out on a limb, but I'm pretty sure if John Maine pitches a no-hitter, the Mets will win. It'll still be a close game though.

3. Tell Guillermo Mota to stay home: If at game time the Mets announced that Guillermo Mota was sent home, the bookies in Vegas would be scrambling to adjust the betting line because the chances of the Mets winning just went up 100%.

4. Tell Willie Randolph to stay home: I'd like to see what would happen if Randolph just stopped managing. Would we notice a difference in the team's play? No more bringing in Mota. No more double switching only to pinch hit for the very person you double switched in. No more lack luster arguing with umpires. No more refusal to squeeze. It might be interesting.

5. Let Keith Hernandez straighten out Jose Reyes' swing: Why is it that Hernandez can see what Reyes is doing wrong at the plate and yet it doesn't seem that Reyes is trying to fix it? Is it that HoJo doesn't see it or is that Reyes refuses to fix it? I'm not sure so I can't blame HoJo but something has got to be done about Reyes' uppercut swing. We all know he's the key to this Mets offense.

Unwatchable

I've been to my fair share of Little League games in my lifetime and I have never seen such disregard for the fundamentals of the game as I saw last night. On two occasions a double play should have gotten the Mets out of the 6th inning only to have errors made. Errors on somewhat routine plays.

But the play in the field is not the only unwatchable thing. The performance at the plate is equally repulsive. We are able to beat John Smoltz, but somehow struggle against pitchers with ERA's over 5?

Willie Randolph needs to get this team loose. Scratch that. Someone needs to get this team back on track. At this point I think it's beyond Willie's ability to do so. I'm not sure who's will step in, but someone has got to. Otherwise we'll be remembered just as the '69 Cubs are remembered.

Choking...

Ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing one of the greatest choke jobs in recent sports memory. Every single player on this team is wound so tight you can just see the fear on their faces, in their eyes. There isn't a guy on on that field who wants the ball hit to them. They're too scared. How else can you explain such ineptness? This team-wide collapse is primed to go down in to the annals of baseball history as one of the worst puke jobs ever!

Why Brian Lawrence?

Brian Lawrence is 1-2 this year for the Mets with a lovely 6.31 ERA. He's given up 37 hits in a little over 25 innings pitched and has a WHIP bordering on 2.

This is the guy who's going to end the Mets slide. This is the guy Willie calls on to help his team turn things around yet again. This is the guy who needs to go 7 innings because our bullpen has had way too much work this past weekend. This is the guy.

I'm not saying Pelfrey is a way better option, but at least we know he's a young pitcher who's coming off a tremendous outing against the Braves.

The Mets bats better wake up tonight and put up a 5-spot in the first inning.

The Curse of Bad Relief Pitchers

This is the debate. Who would you least like to have pitching in a close game?

a) Guillermo Mota
b) Armando Benitez
c) John Franco
d) Braden Looper

Go ahead and think about it. Your knee jerk reaction will Armando Benitez. It was mine too, but at least Benitez could throw hard. You had a chance that he was going to strike out the sides. Otherwise he was giving up a 3-run home run.

Then I went to John Franco. Franco was always good for giving up at least two hits in the inning. But then you have to think that he is in the top 5 for all time save leaders by some miracle.

Then you have Looper and Mota. Pick your poison. I'd have to argue that Mota might be the worst of the bunch, but when it comes down to it I wouldn't want any of them in a close game.

What is with the Mets long history of bad relief pitchers? This year alone we have Mota AND Schoenweiss. Are we cursed? We shouldn't be.

The great thing about relief pitchers though is you don't have to put them in the game. You have the option not to pitch them for a month (like Aaron Selee) or you can pitch them every day if you like. The sad part is Mets managers throughout our history have struggled with not putting in bad relief pitchers.

Someone needs to talk to them about this. Send them to counseling. Something, anything! Charlie Manuel, Sandy Alomar, Sr. I beg you! Speak to Willie Randolph about his problem (a.k.a. infatuation) with Guillermo Mota.

Only you can prevent bad relievers.

Phillies Under Investigation by MLB

According to league sources, the Philadelphia Phillies are under investigation for employing a Wizard against the New York Mets. The suspicion started just over two weeks ago after the Phillies completed their second of three season sweeps of the Mets.

Apparently, an unidentified elderly man with a long white beard, wearing a purple robe and pointy hat was spotted sitting in the Phillies dugout for the last eight games against the Mets.

The suspicion began in the second game of the infamous 4 game series two weeks ago when Aaron Rowand’s full-swing “bunt” hugged the foul line, and traveled a total distance of 20 feet, allowing the tying run to score. With the naked eye, it looked as if an invisible force was blowing the ball to stay fair. The Phillies won in extra innings on a Ryan Howard home run.

The next night, an even stranger occurrence happened when Marlon Anderson was called out to end the game for interfering with the shortstop while attempting to break up a double play. The tying run would have scored on the play, instead, the Mets lost. On replay, it looked as if an invisible force shoved Anderson in to Rollins.

In the final game of that series, all kinds of wild and crazy plays happened. But what league sources are focusing most on from that game is their belief that the Wizard cast one of his many spells on Willie Randolph when he brought in Billy Wagner in the 8^th, thus attempting a 6 out save, something he had not done all season. Wagner blew the game, Mets swept.

Finally, without the Wizard sitting in the opposing dugout against the Mets for the next 12 games, they were free from any kind of spells or magic and went on a nice winning streak, stretching their lead in the NL East to 7 games.

Then came the Phillies for three games at Shea. And this, according to league sources, is where the Wizard really kicked it up notch.

In the first game, he evidently got Randolph again when he unleashed a mind-bending spell that somehow convinced the bewildered manager in to thinking that NOT bunting in the 8^th inning with the fastest runners in the game on first and third with one out and arguably the league’s best bunter at the plate, was a wise decision to make. And after getting Paul LoDuca thrown out of the game, the Wizard promptly whipped up something for Mike Defelice, who dropped a foul pop, eventually setting up the game’s winning run.

In the second game, the Wizard zapped Gold Glover winner, Carlos Beltran not once, but twice forcing him to misjudge fly balls that led to three runs including the game clinching “triple” by Jimmy Rollins. Also in that same game, Jose Reyes got caught stealing third with two outs and David Wright up, a clear sign of the work of an evil Wizard.

In the final game, the Wizard unleashed an arsenal of mystical powers on the Mets, forcing them in to an unprecedented six errors, all of which were routine. Jose Reyes bobbled what appeared to be an inning ending ground ball, allowing not one run, but remarkably two runs to score because Jose, still under the spell, threw the ball away from Castillo when he tried to recover from the bobble; it was a catcher who scored from second. Clear proof the Wizard got him. Next up was Moises Alou, who dropped, what they call in baseball, a “can of corn” fly ball, allowing Rollins (the Wizard loves Jimmy) to go all the way to third, eventually scoring. Then, it was Castillo, a solid defensive second basemen, who caught the wrath of the Wizard when he muffed a tailor-made double play ball. 5 runs scored after that play, and the game was all but over. The Wizard had done his job.

Some reporters apparently asked if the Wizard was responsible for Randolph’s decision to bring in Mota with games still in reach. It was a question they admittedly could not prove because, according to a league official, ‘Randolph’s been dumb enough to do that all season.’ When asked whether the Wizard could have possibly cast his potent magic on the umpires as well, the league official – for fear of igniting another controversy in the sports world – said ‘no comment’, but was promptly caught on videotape muttering to himself as he walked away; ‘You saw that called third strike on Marlon Anderson, what do you think?’

Mets Magic Number: Still 11

It was 11 on Thursday night. It's still 11 on Monday morning.

Stock up on your Rolaids folks. Could be a long last 2 weeks of the season.

The Return of Joe Smith

The Mets sent Joe Smith down to the minors because they said he needed some rest.

Well, 3 months later I think he's rested. Joe Smith came in on Sunday to hit the first batter he faced to load the bases, but then got out of the inning. Smith started the season on fire by not allowing an earned run in his first 20+ innings.

Joe Smith should be added to the regular rotation of the Mets bullpen, even into the playoffs. Willie Randolph has no reason for inserting Guillermo Mota into another game. Joe Smith is a right-handed specialist, something Mota is definitely not.

With Pedro Feliciano as our lefty specialist and with Jorge Sosa and Joe Smith in for right handed batters, the Mets' bullpen should be decent enough down the stretch. Throw in Schoeneweiss for very rare left-handed situations and then Aaron Heilman as your 8th inning guy and you've got your bullpen set.

The important thing is that Mota never pitches in a tight game ever again. If (that's right, if) the Mets make the playoffs they'll probably move Oliver Perez into the bullpen which gives you yet another arm. Tell Aaron Selee and Guillermo Mota to go find Alay Soler and hang out with him for the month of October.

What's Next For This Team?

Another Phillies sweep. So does this mean the Mets will win their next 6 in a row?

I don't think there's any way you can predict any thing with this team. Scratch that. The only thing that you can predict is that Willie Randolph will continue to bring in Guillermo Mota. Why? Because he's on crack. Actually, I'm not sure.

Beltran came through in a big spot on Sunday with the 3-run home run to tie the game right after David Wright flied out to deep left. I was glad to see Beltran get a clutch hit. Beltran tends to avoid the spotlight, but I think the more he's thrust into it the more he'll be able to peform in it.

The only other highlight was David Wright becoming the third Met to join the 30-30 club. Hats off to Wright for a phenomenal season. It's only too bad it had to come amidst this debauchery.

Six Errors. 11 Walks. 6 runners left on base. It's no wonder we lost.

Get the Phillies out of our sites and head to D.C.

DISGRACE

Phillies Own the Mets

Jimmy Rollins’ pre-season proclamation that the Phillies are ‘the team to beat’ was not that far off. In fact, the Phillies get beat by just about every other team but the Mets.

For the seventh straight time, the Mets fell to the Phillies and once again, they had a lead late in the game. I cannot remember a season in which the Mets lost so many games to one team in so many different ways. The Braves owned the Mets for years, but since when did the Phillies turn in to Atlanta? They have beaten the Mets in all phases of the game and it is clear they are in the heads of this club. Just ask Paul LoDuca and Marlin Anderson, who struck out on a terrible call leading off the ninth. Would it surprise anyone, in this day and age, if the home plate umpire was on the take? That was such a bad call the league should do an investigation.

Tomorrow is a must win game; not so much to hold on to the NL East (although I am concerned) but to simply break this streak and regain some confidence, if not, their dignity. It seems like the entire team gets brain freeze when playing Philly. I mean, what was Jose Reyes thinking trying to steal 3^rd with 2 outs and David Wright at the plate? Little Leaguers know not to do that! And what was wrong with Carlos Beltran today?

It was just another terrible defeat in a string of painful losses to this team. Normally, I’d say Perez has to go out and pitch a gem tomorrow to win the game, but starting pitching has hardly been the problem. The bull pen needs to step up and even more importantly, the offense needs to go out and score some runs; enough leaving a hundred guys on base. It’s downright pathetic that we can’t hit these pitchers.

Tomorrow, we’re facing a guy with a 6.7 ERA. Get a “W”!

And if we don’t win, take comfort in knowing that we don’t have to play them anymore this year…in the regular season that is. I shudder to think what would happen if we ever met in the NLCS.

An Even More Painful Loss

If you thought Friday's loss was tough, Saturday was even tougher. Although losing does give us a chance to learn some things. Here's what I've learned:

1. The umpires don't like the Mets - Is it just me? Haven't we seen more questionable calls this year than any in recent memory? First Lo Duca on Friday, but Marlon Anderson's called third strike on Saturday was ridiculous. THE BALL WAS IN THE OTHER BATTER'S BOX! I was irate from my couch. I can't imagine the fury inside Marlon Anderson. I was very disappionted that Willie Randolph didn't go out there and argue with a little more gusto. That was a ridiculous call and unfortunately I'm sure it won't be the last.

2. Pedro Feliciano should only pitch one inning - 3 outs. That's all we need from Feliciano, and boy did he get them. Struck out possibly the most potent 3 hitters on any team right now in Utley, Burrell & Howard. But we pushed it by sending him back out in the 8th. And Rowand showed us why. Feliciano has been stellar, but 3 outs is his limit.

3. The Adam Wainwright curse continues - This team can't hit a hanging curve. David Wright got fooled on a couple, and Beltran did as well. Brent Myers threw some beautiful pitches, but it seems that every time there's a big situation and the pitcher throws a hanging curve, we're in trouble.

4. Never steal third with Wright up and 2 outs - I love seeing Reyes run, but his attempt at stealing third with 2 out and Wright up was uncalled for. It turned out to be some runs we desperately needed. I'm sure he's learned his lesson.

5. Guillermo Mota has dirt on Willie Randolph - Mota must have some unflattering pictures or some seriously dirty laundry on Willie Randolph because there's no reason for him to ever pitch in another game this year. Yet with runners on base and the Mets already having given up 3 runs in the 8th, Willie turned to the Phillies' secret weapon, Guillermo Mota. True, Mota didn't give up a run, but there's no reason to take Sosa out when the runs were scored on an error by Beltran.

6. I officially hate the Phillies more than the Braves - I didn't think it was possible, but I now dislike a team more than the Braves. Why can't we beat the Phillies? They're first 5 batters are seriously powerful, but there's no reason we shouldn't be killing them. They're starting pitching isn't that good. Their bullpen is even worse. And our starting pitching has taken care of them for the most part.

Man, I hate the Phillies.

Painful Loss

Losing is one thing, but to lose on a night where your starting pitcher pitched a gem and you've had every opportunity to win is another.

Tom Glavine showed tonight why he should be considered as a #1 starter. For the 4th straight start Glavine went 7 innings and provided the Mets with an incredible opportunity to serve a little revenge to the Phillies.

I have to echo Bryan's recent post and yet again question why Willie Randolph refuses to squeeze? He had possibly the fastest man in baseball on 3rd base in Carlos Gomez with possibly the best bunter in the National League at the plate in Luis Castillo and all of this with only one out. Even Keith Hernandez recognized that this was the perfect opportunity for a squeeze.

Castillo eventually struck out and after David Wright was hit by a pitch, Carlos Beltran struck out. Inning over. Last opportunity to score squandered.

Mike DiFelice ended up being the goat as he missed a little league pop-up behind home plate, and I had to feel for Aaron Heilman who should have gotten through the 10th if not for the DiFelice error and a throw to second that sailed just enough right for Reyes to not be able to catch.

I wanted a win tonight like nothing else. That loss rejuvenated the Phillies. We had them down and should have delivered the final knockout punch, but it'll have to wait until today.

Bring us victory Pedro.

Two Concerns

I have two concerns with this Mets team as we go in to the post season. 1). Obviously the bullpen. 2). Willie's in-game decision making is downright amateur at times. I cannot figure out for the life of me why he never, I mean never calls for a bunt with a runner on third base. Tonight, with one out and Gomez at third and Reyes on first and Castillo at the plate, Willie once again chose not to drop a bunt. Forget the squeeze play, the Mets will pitch a no hitter before Willie calls for a squeeze. But for the love of God, in this spot, please lay down a bunt. With Gomez's speed, it doesn't even have to be a squeeze for crying out loud. And Castillo is one of the best bunters in the sport. You have a better percentage of that working with Castillo than a sacrifice fly. It's as safe a play as any yet Randolph failed to recognize it or was simply to stubborn (which he is folks) to do it. If you make a desicison in the game to sacrifice a runnner into scoring postion late in the game, then why in the world would you not sacrifice a runner in to score in a tie game in the 8th? There's no logic behind his thought process. It just drives me crazy sometimes and it is no doubt a concern for me come October, where he was out manged by Larussa last season.

I give Willie credit for keeping this team focused down the stretch and for keeping them together. He’s very good at that. And I was as big of a supporter for him as anyone. But man has he blown some games - and real easy decisions too. I just hope he learns from these mistakes; learn from Mota's ineffectiveness and leave him off the roster; learn from tonight's game and call for a bunt with a guy on third (especially Gomez at third and Castillo at the plate. If he doesn't, it will come back to bite him.